Sustainable Wedding Ideas: An Eco-Conscious Wedding Guide
Sustainable Wedding Ideas for Eco-Conscious Couples
Planning a sustainable wedding doesn’t have to mean sacrificing the experience you want to have. In fact, I think the opposite can be true.
One of the things I talk about often with our couples is that every decision is an opportunity to shape how your wedding feels. The food you serve, the flowers on the table, what you wear, where your guests stay, and the vendors you choose all say something about what matters to you. If sustainability is one of those things, it deserves a place in your wedding too.
At The Maples Estate, our approach to sustainable wedding planning is less about achieving a perfectly “green” wedding and more about making thoughtful choices wherever they make sense. Reuse what already exists. Support local businesses. Reduce unnecessary waste. Choose people and products that align with your values.
Here are some of the ways we help couples create an eco-conscious wedding weekend in Upstate New York.
Start with a Sustainable Wedding Venue
Choosing an eco-friendly wedding venue can influence the footprint of your entire celebration.
At The Maples Estate, your wedding unfolds in one place over four days and three nights. Your ceremony, rehearsal dinner, welcome gathering, reception, farewell brunch, and farmhouse accommodations can all happen onsite, reducing the need to move guests from one venue to another throughout the weekend.
Our 12.5-acre estate is surrounded by meadows, trees, gardens, and natural habitat that we actively care for. Deer move through the property. Eagles fly overhead. Turtles make their way across the grounds. We want the landscape to remain part of the experience rather than something we build over.
We also make sustainability part of our day-to-day operations. We use environmentally conscious household products, provide reusable tables, chairs, furniture, and décor, and work with local and eco-conscious wedding vendors whenever possible.
Louis and I even live onsite during wedding season in our off-grid converted Blue Bird school bus, powered largely by solar energy. Our luxury restroom facilities also use solar power and gravity-fed systems.
Sustainability isn’t something we added to the venue because it sounded good.
It reflects the way we already try to live.
Work With Local and Eco-Conscious Wedding Vendors
One of the easiest ways to create a more sustainable wedding is to think about where everything is coming from.
Local caterers, flower farmers, rental companies, bakeries, breweries, and other Hudson Valley and Upstate New York wedding vendors can reduce transportation while putting more of your wedding investment back into the surrounding community.
As your wedding planner and creative director, I help build a vendor team around who you are and what matters to you.
If sustainability is a priority, we can look for local sourcing, seasonal menus, reusable materials, lower-waste production, and vendors whose practices align with your values.
Choose Sustainable Wedding Invitations and Stationery
Stationery is one of my favorite places to infuse personality into a wedding, and there are plenty of ways to approach it more sustainably.
Consider recycled paper, FSC-certified paper, plantable stationery, digital save-the-dates, or working with an independent artist to create pieces you’ll want to keep rather than throw away.
You can also reduce the number of printed pieces you need. Instead of individual menus, perhaps one beautifully designed menu sits at each table. A single seating display can replace dozens of escort cards.
For printed elements, choose companies like Paper Culture, which offset their carbon footprint. And for a truly unique touch, consider using pre-loved or repurposed stationery.
The goal isn’t to eliminate paper, it’s to use it thoughtfully.
Consider Vintage, Pre-Loved, or Rented Wedding Attire
Your wedding attire doesn’t have to be new to feel special. Vintage wedding dresses, pre-owned gowns, rented suits, heirloom jewelry, and secondhand accessories can all reduce the environmental impact of producing something new while bringing even more story into what you wear. You might wear your grandmother’s veil, alter a vintage dress, borrow jewelry from someone you love or choose a designer working with natural, recycled, or responsibly sourced materials. Maybe you make your own attire and choose eco-conscious fabrics like organic cotton, hemp, or recycled materials.
There isn’t one right way to do it. The best choice is the one that feels like you.
Make Your Wedding Meal Part of the Experience
One of the first questions I ask every couple is: “What do you love to eat?” Because the answer tells me something about who you are.
If sustainability matters to you, food is a wonderful place to reflect that. Work with your caterer to incorporate local, seasonal ingredients. Consider plant-forward dishes, locally raised proteins, farm-to-table menus, or chefs who source directly from nearby farms. Your meal might be cooked over an open fire in front of your guests, passed family style around the table, served by a favorite local food truck, or built around a cuisine that connects to your family or culture.
You can also ask your caterer about composting, recycling, reusable serviceware, and plans for minimizing food waste. The meal shouldn’t simply feed your guests. It should become part of the experience.
Rent, Reuse, and Let Materials Tell a Story
A sustainable wedding doesn’t need more things, often, it needs fewer things chosen well. Rent linens, tabletop pieces, glassware, furniture, and décor rather than purchasing items that will only be used once. Source vintage tablecloths from antique stores and use the tables and chairs already available at your venue. Bring in vintage candlesticks, trays, frames, or vessels that can be used again.
At The Maples Estate, we maintain an inventory of furniture, props, tables, chairs, and décor specifically so couples don’t have to purchase everything from scratch. Pre-loved pieces also tend to make a wedding feel less generic and they already have a life behind them.
Choose Local and Seasonal Wedding Flowers
Flowers can have a surprisingly large footprint depending on where they’re grown and how far they travel. For a more sustainable floral design, consider working with a florist who sources from local flower farms and prioritizes seasonal blooms. You can also ask your floral designer to repurpose arrangements throughout the weekend. Ceremony florals might become reception décor. Welcome dinner arrangements might reappear at brunch.
Afterward, flowers can be donated, dried, composted, or sent home with guests. At The Maples Estate, we can compost many floral materials onsite rather than sending everything directly to the landfill.
Rethink Traditional Wedding Favors
One of the easiest ways to reduce wedding waste is simply not to give guests something they don’t need. If you love the idea of favors, choose something useful, edible, local, or meaningful. A favorite local treat, seeds or a small plant, something made by a nearby artist, or make a charitable donation in honor of your guests.
Sustainable wedding favors don’t have to be another object. Sometimes the best gift is simply creating an incredible experience for the people you love.
Make Transportation Part of Your Sustainable Wedding Plan
Transportation can become a significant part of a destination wedding’s environmental impact. Hosting multiple events in one location is one way to reduce unnecessary driving. Shuttles can also help consolidate transportation between hotels and the venue, while carpooling and nearby accommodations can further reduce the number of individual vehicles traveling throughout the weekend.
For couples planning a destination wedding in Upstate New York, keeping the weekend geographically centered can also make the guest experience easier and more relaxed. Less time driving. More time together.
Consider planting a tree or making a donation to help offset your event's carbon footprint.
Sustainability Is About Thoughtful Choices
I don’t believe your wedding needs to be perfectly zero-waste to reflect your environmental values. It simply needs to be considered.
Maybe you choose local flowers, rent instead of buy, serve seasonal food, use vintage décor, host everything in one place, skip the favors or choose vendors who care about the same things you do.
Each choice matters. And just like every other part of your wedding, those decisions become part of the story you’re telling.
At The Maples Estate, we believe your wedding should reflect who you are, including the values you carry into the rest of your life. If you're searching for a sustainable wedding venue in Upstate New York or the Hudson Valley and want to create an eco-conscious wedding weekend that still feels beautiful, personal, and fully lived, we'd love to meet you.
Together, we can create a celebration that feels good while you're experiencing it and one you can feel good about afterward.
Find more tips on planning your dream wedding below!
Estate Wedding Upstate. Lora-Ashley & Eamonn. 8.20.22
The Marriage of Lora-Ashley & Eamonn
August 20, 2022 at The Maples Estate
Schoharie, NY - Upstate, NY
This extended weekend estate wedding in upstate New York was a true family affair!
Lora-Ashley and Eamonn arrived at The Maples Estate on Thursday, dropped off a couple family golf carts and headed off for a full day of fun at the lake with their bridal parties! Back at the house that evening they enjoyed a simple dinner with friends and family and prepped for another full day on Friday. First thing in the morning Eamonn’s crew headed off for a day of golf and Lora’s crew made their way to a petting zoo for goat yoga followed by a rehearsal ceremony and dinner that evening.
This couple embraced the weekend with activities every day and got to spend so much quality time with their family and friends before their wedding day even began on Saturday.
An extended engagement
Lora and Eamonn booked The Maples Estate back in 2019 and knew they wanted an extended engagement with their wedding planned for summer 2022. Little did we know that COVID-19 was just around the corner and their timing could not have been better. Having two young children at the time of their engagement, they wanted to ensure their children would be old enough to enjoy their wedding and I’m so glad they waited as their adorable kids were involved in every bit of their day! From glamming together in the get ready room, to walking down the aisle and dancing into the evening they had the time of their lives and I’m sure they will remember their parent’s special day as they grow older.
Keep in mind, an extended engagement can also allow you additional time to plan or save for your dream wedding!
Getting Ready!
The get ready room was the place to be with all the bridal party glamming together. From friends and family to adorable children and multiple first looks, Lora-Ashley and Eamonn enjoyed the morning of their wedding surrounded by their loved ones.
Time to Celebrate!
As the day progressed they enjoyed time in the pool, relaxed in the hammock, got ready for the evenings events and took photos throughout the estate! An estate wedding at The Maples Estate means so much time to celebrate!!
First Look
This first look in our meadow was so beautiful and captured from all angles! They even enjoyed photos in the estate farmhouse following their first look before guests arrived for their ceremony.
The Ceremony
A ceremony under the trees is one of our favorites and this 180 person guest list enjoyed views of the hills while Lora-Ashley and Eamonn said their vows. With two friends and their officiants, they had a very personal ceremony that spoke to both of them as individuals.
Keep scrolling to check out their wedding video and hear their vows!
The Reception
The reception would not have been complete without this mother son dance with rival team jerseys! Such a fun, charismatic and loving group that danced the night away under the stars!
Photos by Sam Sullivan Photography
Lora-Ashley & Eamonn’s incredible vendor team!
Venue: The Maples Estate | IG: @themaplesestate
Photos: Sam Sullivan Photographer | IG: @samsullivanphotography
Planning Coordinator: SBM Event Co. | IG: @sbmeventco
Rentals: Total Events | IG: @totalevents
Hair & Makeup: JL Beauty Inc | IG: @jlbeautyinc
Florals: Heirloom 77 Floral | IG: @heirloom77.floral
DJ: Say I Tru | IG: @say_i_tru
Photo booth: The Modern Photobooth Company | IG: @themodernphotoboothcompany
Hotel: The Landing Hotel | IG: @thelandinghotelny
Catering / Bar: Old Daley on Crooked Lake | IG: @olddaleyoncrookedlake
Transportation: Premier Transportation | IG: @premiertransportation
Learn more about The Maples Estate, view our weekend wedding packages and find more wedding inspiration right here!
When should you send wedding invitations out?
Suite designed by Handmade Darling printed on acrylic and paper.
When it comes to wedding planning there are so many little details to juggle!
At The Maples Estate we help our couples stay on track with wedding planning by providing each of our clients with a personalized digital wedding planning checklist in your client portal. You can follow along with the scheduled tasks by date, check off items on your to do list and update your checklist to suit your individual wedding!
One of the tasks that we tend to get questions about though, is
“When should we send our wedding invitations out?”
What details should we include in our wedding invitation?
Do wedding invitations need to be physical or is a digital invite okay?
Do we need to send Save The Dates? Can they be sent digitally?
Do we need to create a wedding website?
What do we include on our wedding website?
Also, what’s so important about getting all those details in a physical or digital form that our guests can access and respond to?
With many of our clients guest counts at 50-150 guests, that’s a lot of people to wrangle, call, email or text leading up to your wedding. You want to make sure your guests have all the information they need to RSVP, schedule their travel, book a hotel, select their meals, dress to impress and all arrive on time! Your save the date, wedding invitation and website are your saving grace in helping your guests navigate your wedding weekend without reaching out to you for direction.
So, let’s chat through all these questions and look at some sample wedding invitations for reference as you start to think through your own invites.
Suite designed by Handmade Darling printed on hand torn paper.
First off, let’s answer that big question: “When should we send our wedding invitations out?”
Answer: At least 8 weeks prior to your wedding weekend - 12 to 20 weeks is even better!
Let’s explain: Every wedding is a bit different, but at the latest you should give your guests 6 to 8 weeks to respond. You will also need enough time after the ‘RSVP by date’ to follow up with guests that you have not yet heard from, finalize your guest count, confirm meal selections with your caterer, set your floor plan, and print your seating chart and place cards - give yourself 2-4 weeks for this. You do have more wiggle room if your caterer does not need exact guest counts or meal selections and if you are skipping assigned seating.
You will also want to give your guests as much time as possible to confirm their schedule, take time off work, book their travel and accommodations.
It’s all in the details
What details should we include in our wedding invitations?
Like I mentioned before, the more details you provide your guests, the less questions they will ask you.
Every invitation will be different depending on the couple but let’s review an invitation suite from one of our wedding coaching clients here at The Maples Estate! I will point out all those key items that your guests will want to know upfront. Keep in mind that they also sent save the dates and have a wedding website where their guests can find more information about their wedding.
Common items included in an invitation suite
Invitation Card
Response Card + Meal Selection + Envelope
Mailing Envelope
Postage
Additional items you might want to include
Design Images / Invitation Wrapper
Details Card(s)
Directions
Additional Weekend Events
Accommodations
Transporation
QR Code Linked to Your Website
Invitation Card
Couple Names
Many couples like to have full spelling of their individual names.
Reference Families
Many couples choose to reference their family as part of the invite.
Wedding Date
Note the date of your main wedding events.
Arrival Time and/or Start Time
Note the time that your events will begin. Many guests will arrive early so it’s best not to add a buffer period into your start time. Instead you can list a suggested arrival time.
Location
Include the address of your first event.
Any other events to follow
Note any additional event details so guests have an idea of how the day will go.
Details Card(s)
Together in one card or separately through multiple cards, list out important details such as:
Accommodations & Room Blocks
If you have a room block or suggested location for guests to stay, it’s a great idea to include these details in your invitation. Include the name of the lodging site, address, any details for making a reservation, etc.
Rehearsal Dinner, Welcome Events or Farewell Brunches
If everyone is able to attend additional events throughout your wedding weekend, feel free to include them in your invite. If the guest list for these events are limited, it’s better to include a specific card just for those invited or a digital invite sent separately.
Transportation
If you will have a shuttle it’s great to list the times and location in your invite. You can also provide notes about taxis and ride share services or the closest airport, train or bus stations.
Suggested Attire
If you have specific thoughts on what your guests should wear you can also include this in your invite. Things like pastel colors, black and white, formal, casual, no skinny heals, bring layers, etc.
RSVP Card
Response Date
Include a deadline to respond. We suggest 2-4 weeks before your wedding. Include all wedding events unless they are drop in.
Physical Card + Envelope -or- QR Code + Password
Give your guests a place to RSVP. That can be a physical card with return envelope and stamp or even a digital response using a QR code and password or email.
Meal Selections
Many caterers will ask you to include a meal option on your invites to confirm the guests meal selection. Confirm with your caterer ahead of time what date they need responses by. Example: Chicken, Beef, Fish, Veggie, etc.
Design Elements and Postage
This is the fun part where you can show your personality and also give a glimpse into your wedding design with colors, patterns and vibes!
Design Elements
Invitations can have many design elements from wrappers to ties to seals or decorative cards.
Envelope
Don’t forget a colorful envelope to stand out in the mail! You may also want to include an envelope for your RSVP card.
Postage
Postage can be a fun design element to make your envelope pop! You may also want to include postage for your RSVP card.
Wedding Invitation Q&A
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Digital invites are a great way to save money and streamline the RSVP process. However, some couples and guests enjoy having the physical cards as mementos following the wedding. An invite can also be included in your flat lay which may be something your photographer shoots for you on your wedding day. See examples below!
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Many couples choose to send Save The Dates once their wedding date and guest list is set. That way their guests have time to block the date on their calendar and plan ahead. This can be as simple as an email to your guests and could also be sent digitally or in physical form similar to your invite. You would provide your guests with the date of your wedding as well as the location so they have an idea for travel purposes. The save the date does not include an RSVP option and is simply announcing your wedding date and location.
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You do not have to do anything, but if you are looking to limit the number of texts, calls and emails leading up to and on your wedding day, a wedding website is a great option! This is a place where you can tell your story, share your engagement photos, faqs and repeat the details on the invite in the case it gets lost.
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The more information you provide your guests the better! Repeat details from your invitation including the wedding date, location, start time, other events, link to RSVP.
Share your engagement photos
Share Your Story! How you met, your proposal story, wedding party features, etc.
Guest FAQs: Lodging, transportation, wedding attire, venue setting, fun activities + attractions nearby, wedding gift registry, etc.
Wedding Invitation Inspiration!
Romantic Boho Wedding
Suite designed by Handmade Darling printed on hand torn paper.
Green and White Outdoor Wedding
Jenna & Jay’s wedding at The Maples Estate in late August.
Pink & Green Late Summer Wedding
Brooke & Scott’s wedding at The Maples Estate in mid September.
Modern Colorful Spring Wedding
Suite designed by Handmade Darling printed on acrylic and paper.
Colorful Backyard Summer Wedding Vibes!
Suite designed by Peggy & Kate to be printed on paper for Hannah & Tim’s September wedding.
Vintage Cowboy Inspired Wedding
Suite designed by Ready Mix Designs using a letterpress.
Romantic Modern Summer Wedding
Lora-Ashley & Eamonn’s August wedding at The Maples Estate
Find out more about The Maples Estate and discover more planning inspiration right here!
Planning a Destination Wedding. Jenna & Jay. 8.27.22
The Marriage of Jenna & Jay
August 27, 2022 at The Maples Estate
Schoharie, NY - Upstate, NY
Wondering how to plan a destination wedding?
With so many of our couples living throughout the northeast, across the country and even across the world, it’s important that you feel supported in your wedding planning. Follow along with Jenna and Jay as they share their own experience planning their destination wedding at The Maples Estate from their home in Staten Island.
“After getting engaged at the top of Mt. Royal Park in Montreal, my fiance and I drove back down to Staten Island, stopping in the capital region for lunch. We were surrounded by mountains, stunning evergreens, and fresh crisp air. The area spoke to us and we knew we wanted to have our wedding in a place where we could admire the Catskills and breathe deeply.
It didn’t take us long to find The Maples Estate through a quick google search. We scheduled a meeting with Katie and toured the Estate on a frigid January day. The mountains in the distance watched sleepily over us as we admired the beautiful interior of the farmhouse and walked through the grounds, imagining the most special time in our lives. Katie was welcoming and immediately put us at ease, answering every question we had. On our drive home we spoke excitedly as we knew we found our wedding venue!”
Selecting Your Venue
So, what can we learn from Jenna and Jay’s experience selecting their venue?
First off, you may love your lifestyle at home, but maybe you want to getaway, relax and enjoy the beautiful surroundings of a destination for your wedding experience. When it comes to your venue selection, whether touring in person or virtually, it’s important to feel a comfort in the environment and be able to visualize yourselves at the venue. You also want to feel supported by your venue team, so that connection with the owner or venue manger on a personal level is so important. You want to walk into wedding planning at ease and have a good vision for your wedding day.
Here at The Maples Estate we want you to feel seen, supported, and have a clear direction for those next steps.
Planning Support
Planning a destination wedding can be tough, but with our support you are in good hands!
Once you lock in your date, we provide access to a private client portal where you can follow along with your personalized digital wedding planning checklist. This checklist spells out all the tasks you will need to complete along the way, and can be edited to suit your specific wedding tasks. For ease of use, it is categorized by date so you know what the next steps will be at all times. We also send you a large list of talented vendors to start your search off right. Many of our couples utilize our wedding coaching services to help solidify a vision for your wedding, build a budget, and get you started in your vendor search. We are that engine to get you going, a calming voice of reason, call on us to ease your mind and keep you on track with your planning.
“Living 3 hours from The Maples Estate meant that the next time we would be on location would be our wedding weekend. Our trust in Katie and her recommendations were vital as we organized things from afar. We decided to add in the ‘wedding coaching package’ and it was easily the smartest money we spent throughout the entire planning process. Her suggestions, industry knowledge, and vendor relationships were undeniably helpful. Working with our own vision and Katie’s expertise, we compiled a great vendor team entirely remote.”
For those of you looking for a hands off approach to planning your wedding, we also offer full wedding planning and design packages!
It’s all in the details
So, now that you have selected your venue and started your planning, what items do you DIY vs hiring out for your destination wedding?
There are so many little details that go into a wedding design, from signage to table decor, florals, attire, furniture and stationary. While you might be able to create some of these items yourself, you also have to think about the level of energy and time you have, the space they will take up in transport, and what you will do with everything following your wedding. Sometimes it’s more time, cost and space effective to have a professional provide these items for you.
“Having a steady schedule of calls with our vendors calmed anxieties and helped get details in order. By the time we packed our car to head up to The Maples Estate, we knew exactly what supplies we needed to bring and what our vendors were supplying. I added my own flair (I’m an art teacher) and created the centerpieces, seating chart, and welcome signs.”
If there is something that feels personal to you, you want to invest time into and know will make a big personal impact for your wedding, go ahead and create or source those items yourself.
Organization & transportation
For those items you are bringing yourself, how do stay organized and get everything to the venue?
“I was able to separate supplies by each event using three 25-gallon storage bins. I added a content list to each bin; I was able to check off exactly what I had packed and Katie’s team could easily locate the supplies during the weekend. In addition to our luggage, wedding dress and suit, we were fortunate to have a dear friend and groomsman with a pick-up truck who could help us drive everything else up. Remember - what you bring with you you’ll have to bring home!”
It’s amazing when you have a truck available to you or can rent a van or U-haul to help with transport. We have had couples arrive by air with only the belongings in their bags, some that have shipped supplies to us the week prior to their wedding, others that rented a U-haul or van and even a couple that drove from LA to NY and back, so they could have their furry friends join them for their wedding. Remember to keep transportation and packing in mind when you are thinking through those items you will DIY or bring with you vs hiring or renting from a vendor.
Trust and communication is key!
With coordination services included in your package we will wrap up all those last minute details, create a detailed itinerary for your weekend, communicate with all your vendors and run your wedding day for you. You can trust us to pull off your epic wedding weekend where all you have to do is relax, celebrate and enjoy your guests company!
“Steady communication with Katie, an amazing vendor team who knew exactly what we wanted, and plenty of checklists provided a solid base for our incredible wedding weekend. I distinctly remember feeling cool as a cucumber on the biggest day of my life all because I knew we were in incredible hands at The Maples Estate!”
Photos by Cheyenne Lee Photo
Jenna & Jay’s incredible vendor team!
Venue / Wedding Coaching / Coordination: The Maples Estate | IG: @themaplesestate
Photography: Cheyenne Lee Photo | IG: @cheyennelee_photo
Videography: Jessy Figgs Wedding Films | IG: @jessyfiggsweddingfilms
Catering: Mazzone Hospitality | IG: @mazzonehospitality
Hair & Makeup: New Moon Beauty Studio | IG: @newmoonbeautystudio
Florist: Jolene K Floral Design | IG: @jolenekfloraldesign
DJ: DJ Romantics | IG: @djromantics
Ceramics / Bride: Palermo Ceramics | IG: @palermoceramics
Rentals: Total Events | IG: @totalevents
Welcome Event Catering: Bull & Basil | IG: @bullandbasil
Farewell Brunch Catering: Rooster on the Run | IG: @roosterontherun_
Transportation: First Atlantic
Invitations: The Nesting Project
Portable Restrooms: Stone Industries
Learn more about The Maples Estate, view our weekend wedding packages and find more wedding inspiration right here!
Is Hiring A Wedding Planner Worth It?
Is Hiring a Wedding Planner Worth It?
If you’ve ever planned a wedding—or even if you haven’t—it’s likely that hiring a wedding planner is something you’ve considered (or should consider!). Wedding planning is full of decisions, emails, meetings, and creative brainstorming, and it’s not uncommon to feel overwhelmed with everything that needs to be done. If the thought of planning your wedding feels like too much, don’t worry—at The Maples Estate, we include wedding planning in your package!
Full Wedding Planning & Design
With Full Wedding Planning & Design, we manage all the little details—from concept to execution—so you don’t have to. Our team loves working with creative couples to design uniquely unforgettable wedding weekends. With our help, you can focus on enjoying the fun parts of the planning process and be confident that we’re taking care of everything else. This full-service option ensures your wedding is everything you envision, without the stress of managing it all yourself.
Coordination Services
Our Coordination Services are also included in your weekend wedding package! This service kicks in about eight weeks before your wedding and helps wrap up all those last-minute details.
We assist with:
Building your wedding weekend timeline.
Event layouts and vendor communication.
Taking over the day-of coordination to ensure everything runs smoothly.
We handle the logistics and ensure that everything goes as planned, so you can relax and enjoy the day with your loved ones.
Is Hiring a Wedding Planner Worth It?
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the idea of planning your wedding, or if you simply want to ensure that every detail is perfect, hiring a wedding planner is absolutely worth it. Having an expert by your side makes all the difference. You can focus on the excitement of your upcoming wedding day while we handle the stress and logistics behind the scenes.
At The Maples Estate, we offer a range of services to suit every couple’s needs, ensuring your wedding planning experience is fun, smooth, and stress-free. Let us help you create the wedding of your dreams!
Personalized Design Boards
A personalized design board is one of the key elements of our planning process, and it's something we provide to each of our clients. The design board helps guide the vision of your wedding and serves as a reference point throughout the entire planning process. It’s a great tool for organizing your thoughts and getting a visual idea of how your wedding will come together.
We love creating design boards that are uniquely tailored to each couple, and we’ll work with you to ensure your wedding reflects your individual style and personality.
Sustainable Indigenous Wedding Design
Natural Foraged Design
Warm & Moody Modern Design
Natural Romantic Design
Colorful Elevated Backyard Party Vibes
Elevated Italian Wedding Design
Learn more about planning with us and check out these fun filled extended weekend weddings!
Micro Wedding at The Maples Estate. Michelle & Cesar. 10.1.22
The Marriage of Michelle & Cesar
October 1, 2022 at The Maples Estate
Schoharie, NY - Upstate, NY
Both wedding photographers in New York City, Michelle & Cesar took full advantage of their micro wedding in upstate New York!
After touring our Upstate New York Wedding Venue virtually, they booked almost immediately and could not wait to see the estate in person when they arrived for their micro wedding weekend! A fall wedding was a dream of theirs and these two photographers enjoyed every moment, taking shots throughout their wedding day. Working in the industry, they had a very clear vision for their micro wedding upstate from their flowers to table decor, ceremony setting and even their attire. They had every detail locked in and even had their dream vendor list that they had been collecting throughout the years.
Arriving at their micro wedding home base!
At The Maples Estate, couples spend an extended weekend with us to truly get the most out of their wedding celebrations! Couples may choose to arrive on either Thursday or Friday and can host multiple events onsite throughout the weekend. With a smaller guest list, Michelle and Cesar decided to arrive on Friday and settled right into their lodging with a group of their loved ones! They enjoyed a simple dinner that evening and wrapped up some DIY details with the help of some friends before their wedding day arrived.
With an eye for detail, they had been dreaming of florals by Everwild Blooms and even arranged a U-Haul truck to deliver their florals all the way from NYC!
Getting Ready at The Maples Estate!
On their wedding day, they enjoyed getting ready in the morning with their friends and family in our 1855 colonial farmhouse! They relaxed, enjoyed the company of their friends and family and glammed for the evenings events while we pulled everything together for their micro wedding!
“The Maples Estate was absolutely our dream venue. From our first video call, we knew we had found our place. The fields with the mountain views, the wildflowers, the gorgeous house. All of it was perfection. When our wedding weekend finally came and we saw it in person, it surpassed even our greatest expectations.
Katie checked in with us at different points throughout our wedding planning process, and was always super thorough with coordination and details. As wedding photographers ourselves, we’ve worked with many planners, but Katie really blew us away! Speaking of photography, this place is seriously a photographers dream (SO many different gorgeous spots).
First Look & Private Vows
They opted for a first look at the farmhouse with views into the field followed by a walk around the pond where they said their vows to each other privately before their ceremony began. Such a special way to calm nerves and feel connected before walking down the aisle in a more public display. As photographers themselves - Wandermore Photography - they took full advantage of the views for a walk around the estate with their photographer capturing incredible images in the fields, on the dirt path, around the pond and more!
Katie and Louis were always available throughout our full weekend, often handling things that we didn’t even realize (major shoutout for tucking away our card box when we were partied out at the end of the night haha). It was so important for us to work with someone who truly cared about our day, and that’s absolutely what we found.
If you want your wedding to feel like a home away from home, but also the best weekend of your life? Have your wedding at The Maples Estate. Seriously. I think we’re going to have to stay again for a weekend some day in the future :)”
They frolicked through the fields and took incredible photos overlooking the Schoharie valley!
As photographers, they couldn’t resist bringing their own cameras along to capture the moment!
Micro Wedding Ceremony overlooking the hills!
And when the time was right, they joined their guests in front of the field to say their vows!
With many of Cesar’s family speaking Spanish, their officiant spoke in both english and Spanish and also incorporated aspects of Michelle’s Jewish Orthodox upbringing into their ceremony.
With florals in a round, they were surrounded by nature in an intimate setting overlooking the hills and fields.
With a micro guest list they gathered with family and friends after the ceremony to share their love!
The Micro, But Oh So Grand Party!!
Even though they had a micro guest list, they wanted their wedding to feel as grand as any other and opted for a beautiful sailcloth tent with wooden tables and colorful florals!
They focused on every detail with black and gold accents, colorful florals, impeccable signage, table runners and our french bistro chairs.
They danced the night away, laughing and taking photos all evening and enjoyed a brunch the morning after!
Michelle and Cesar wanted some time to themselves and opted to spend their last night in the farmhouse just the two of them! What a special way to start their marriage together!
Photos by Rachel Rogers Weddings
Michelle & Cesar’s incredible vendor team!
Venue / Coordination: The Maples Estate | IG: @themaplesestate
Photography: Rachel Rogers Weddings | IG: @rachelrodgersweddings
Catering: Hand Crafted Creative | IG: @handcraftedcreative
Dessert: Bites of Indulgence | IG: @bitesofindulgence
Makeup: Arielle The MUA | IG: @ariellethemua
Rentals: Tremont Rentals | IG: @Tremontrental
Florist: Everwild Blooms | IG: @everwild_blooms
DJ: Paris Creative | IG: @paris.creative
Transportation: Wade Tours | IG: @wadetours
Officiant: Once Upon a Vow | IG: @onceuponavow
Photo Booth: Bliss Booth NYC | IG: @BLISSBOOTHNYC
Portable Restrooms: Stone Industries
Learn more about The Maples Estate, view our weekend wedding packages and find more wedding inspiration right here!
Wedding Tablescape Ideas
Wedding Tablescape Ideas & Helpful Tips
When it comes to your wedding tablescape, there are so many different directions to go in. Are you feeling the overwhelm?
I get it as a NY wedding planner at The Maples Estate, an upstate New York wedding venue specializing in weekend wedding packages, many of our clients ask us about designing their tablescape! Design elements can send your head spinning while browsing Pinterest or scrolling through images of million dollar weddings on instagram! So come back down to earth, center yourself and remember, this is YOUR wedding and YOU decide what setting feels right for you! This is where the fun part comes in as you get to showcase your personality and build a design that speaks directly to you!!
Let’s first talk through the elements of your wedding tablescape!
Tables & Linens
Here at The Maples Estate, we include both wooden and plastic rectangular banquet tables in your rental as well as cocktail rounds. The plastic tables and cocktail rounds do require linens, but that means you can get creative with colors, patterns and textures! Linens come in many different styles with various price points and can be rented, provided by your caterer or even purchased if you have a future use for them. Our vendor list includes both rental companies and specialty linen rentals and you can also check with your caterer to confirm if linens are included in your contract.
Looking for something a little different? Wooden tables come in many different shapes and sizes are a really fun look. If you want something other than those we provide onsite, there are lots of rental companies offering different styles. Check out our vendor list to locate tables that match your unique aesthetic. You can even find assorted vintage tables through a specialty rental company - checkout their inventory to see the different styles we offer!
Don’t forget napkins!
**See our breakdown of included tables and chairs and linen sizing.
Florals
Fresh, colorful flowers are a great way to bring visual design to your tables. From greenery to small and large centerpieces, bud vases and hanging installations, each come with a different price point and aesthetic. You will want to talk to your florist about the specific colors for your wedding design, flowers you are allergic to, those you love, those you hate, textures and fullness of the design and also the budget you are looking to work within. With common flowers used throughout your wedding design from your ceremony to cocktail hour and reception, many of these vases or ceremony backdrops can be repurposed at your reception.
Keep in mind that many florists have a minimum rate and you will want to confirm this amount before signing your contract. If you have a smaller budget you may want to work with an a la carte florist.
Candles
We love candles but it is VERY common for a candle to catch something on fire, especially when guests are drinking, dancing and mingling. If you are looking to have candles in your tablescape design at The Maples Estate - you will need to plan ahead.
Votives need to have 1/3 of the vase above the top of the candle. We have seen menus and table cloths catch fire, so giving some space for that flame to burn inside the vase is needed.
Tapers will need to be secured in the candle holder by melting the base of the candle and placing it in the holder while hot. We also require they have glass votives around them such as a hurricane vase, so if a candle falls you know it won't catch the table on fire. It’s always good to confirm the height and width of these vases as we have had instances where the vases were shorter than the candle in the stand and would not fit around the candle holder.
Candles are messy and wax builds up quickly on tablecloths. Confirm with your linen rental if they allow candles with use of their linens. The best way to avoid this is to choose a vase with a closed base. Talk to your florist or rental company to see if they offer candle packages!
Good news! Candle vases will also limit the draft from wind and will minimize how quickly they will drip - keeping them lit longer!
Dishware
Wanting a pop of color, a vintage aesthetic or a modern look? Dishware is a great place to showcase your personality and rental companies offer different styles for dinner, salad and dessert plates, glassware and silverware. Some caterers include these items in your package, (a great way to save money) but it’s best to confirm the look ahead of time to ensure these items match your design aesthetic.
Signage
Signage such as table numbers, seating assignments and menu cards are often placed among your wedding tablescape. There are many different options for this signage from printed paper to wooden or acrylic displays and you can get as creative as you like to match your design aesthetic. Are you skipping assigned seating and serving a buffet? Scratch the signage all together for a more relaxed setting.
Fun & Personalized Elements
Do you love books or movies? Antiques? Photography? Walking on the Beach? Travel? Board Games? Legos? Animals? There are so many ways to incorporate your loves into your table design through physical elements. We have seen board games distributed at each table, Polaroid table numbers, driftwood displays, disposable cameras, crayons and more! Not only are these elements a little taste of your personality, they can also serve as activities for your guests throughout the evening.
Table Layout
Don’t forget to think through your event layout when determining your table design. This will help to confirm quantities needed for any physical items on the tables. Do you wish to have one long family style table, a rectangle, grid pattern, clusters of tables, etc.
If you are totally overwhelmed by the idea of tables and want a more intimate and relaxed feel, why not scratch the tables all together and opt for vintage lounge furniture and cocktail tables instead!
Wedding Tablescape Ideas & Inspiration
Vintage Cowboy Inspired
This vintage wooden table surrounded by assorted chairs offers a calming country aesthetic with vintage plates and glassware, beeswax candles in copper holders, dried florals, deer antlers, a birds nest, table number and menus on theme.
Modern Black & Gold
This micro wedding utilized a black and gold theme with rented wooden tables and dense colorful florals at two heights. Table numbers, seating assignments and menus were designed for a modern look and black plates were purchased by the couple to match their aesthetic.
Retro Artistic Vibes
This colorful, retro design incorporated vibrant florals in bud vases, driftwood centerpieces with Polaroid table numbers, moss, hand poured crayons and disco balls. The couple also purchased assorted vintage place settings and silverware from thrift stores.
Green & White
This reception focused on classic green and white elements with eucalyptus table runners, rented wooden farm tables, wine bottle table numbers on hand made clay holders with fairy lights. A simple yet elegant setting.
Pretty In Pink
A long wooden table with pops of pink and gold - vintage plates, amber goblets, gold silverware and clusters of pink and white florals with candles.
What setting feels right for you?
Let us help you brainstorm with wedding planning and design or coaching!
Discover more about The Maples Estate, an Upstate New York Wedding Venue and find more planning inspiration!
How long does it take to plan for a wedding?
IMAGE BY DOTTIE MORRIS
Newly engaged and asking yourself
“How long does it take to plan for a wedding?”
Engagements can be 4 years, 18 months, 2 months or any other length of time, but on average most couples spend at least a year in the planning stages before they celebrate their wedding. However, that doesn’t mean you have to follow the crowd because that’s actually more time than you really need to plan a wedding. It’s not unheard of to get engaged in the winter and plan a summer or fall wedding just 4-6 months later, as long as you have a clear direction and are flexible with your vendor selection. You will also want some flexibility in your schedule to research vendors, tour venues, email and chat with vendors, go shopping, and keep track of your plans.
If this sounds like you, here are some helpful tips to get started in your wedding planning today!
Now that you’re engaged, take some time to enjoy your engagement, share the news with friends and family and start to think through your priorities when it comes to celebrating your wedding. In these first couple weeks you will want to think through your wedding budget, talk to any family or friends that might be contributing to your budget, and get a general idea of what your guest count might be. This will all help you when starting to research venues.
TOTALLY STRESSED OUT OR OVERWHELMED?
We can take your stress away with wedding planning & design or coaching!
As a New York Wedding Planner, I have planned weddings in as little as 3 months and I’m happy to step in if you need our support!
First things first, you will need to schedule tours at venues that interest you, fit your budget and can accommodate your guest count. We always suggest checking out a few different venues to see what setting feels right for you, matches your style, the vibe and vision for your wedding - but don’t go overboard, after a while it’s hard to keep track of the details at every venue you see, and unfortunately, you cannot lock in a date, select vendors, or announce your wedding until you have booked your venue. So once you have found your dream venue (fingers crossed it’s The Maples Estate!) and a date that works with your schedule, go ahead and lock it in, set your date and sign your contract!!
Now that your venue is booked, congratulations!!
You can start to lock in your vendors, set your guest list and send those save the dates.
Before reaching out to vendors, it’s a good idea to first think through the vision you have for your wedding. What are those must haves, priorities and the overall vibe you are looking to create for your wedding. Once you have an idea of this, start researching.
Here at The Maples Estate our weekend wedding packages include planning support so we will walk you through these next steps!
I always suggest reaching out to catering first, since it’s likely going to be your largest vendor fee. It’s a good idea to get a few quotes before locking in any other vendors to keep that budget on track. From here you can research and book your photographer, florist, DJ /entertainment and hair & makeup.
It’s very possible that you will receive some “sorry, we’re already booked” emails, but don’t worry, keep reaching out, with a little work you will find vendors that you love, in your price point, that ARE available! If you are overwhelmed by this step, let us take over your planning with our Full Service Planning & Design package and we will contact all these vendors for you. That means you can just select the vendors you love, sign the contracts and enjoy the party!
Once your caterer is confirmed, you can lock in a hotel room block and start to design your invitations. If you have already sent your save the date, it’s a good rule of thumb to send out invitations 6-12 weeks before your wedding so guests can plan ahead for travel, and book their accommodations. Check with your caterer ahead of time if they will need guest meal choices provided with their RSVP card, and think through any other events such as a welcome event, rehearsal dinner or farewell brunch that you might need to include.
Quick Note:
If you are on a short timeline and would like to wear a wedding dress on your big day, it’s a great idea to schedule a few bridal appointments as early as you can. Confirm ahead of time what their lead time is like on orders, so you don’t find your dream dress only to learn it’s not available before your wedding. If you are having trouble finding a dress that matches your timeline, consider shopping at a bridal consignment, resale store or even online. You may need to arrange some alterations, but you can likely have the dress in hand much earlier and find a local seamstress to fit your gown to your body.
Now that your main vendors are locked in, go ahead and take a look at your budget. Do you have some wiggle room for additional activities, events, personalized touches, fun decor items, etc? This is the fun part when you can get personal - add in a videographer, photo booth, yummy desserts, performers, entertainment, guest transportation, specialty lighting, draping, vintage furniture, signage, programs, linens, table decor, guest favors, etc. No need to go overboard, but it can be fun to add some special touches if your budget allows.
Don’t forget those personal touches like wedding day attire, shoes, jewelry and accessories! What about your officiant, wedding party, their attire as well as any speeches, traditional elements or rituals you would like to include in your wedding events? Also your rings and marriage certificate!
At The Maples Estate we provide all our couples with a digital wedding planning checklist by date, so you can follow along at the appropriate times and check tasks off as they are completed! We also now include coaching - a partial planning package - in your package so we can help you get started and support you along the way. It may feel like a lot of details but our planning checklist breaks it all down into easily digestible items so you can check everything off your list one by one. If it all feels like too much, let us take the worry off your hands with full planning and design!
So, are you ready to get planning!
Helpful Planning Tips Continued…
How Many Guests Is Normal?
How Many Guests Is Normal?
When it comes to your wedding invite list, there is a fine balance between eloping and accidentally inviting hundreds of people. From extended cousins of cousins, to college roommates and old co-workers. So, how do you decide how many guests is too many or too little? At The Maples Estate, our weddings range between 25 and 200 guests.
Though honestly, it’s up to you!! That’s the beauty of your wedding, it’s YOURS and YOU get to decide how you wish to celebrate. However, we know that it can feel super overwhelming with so many decisions to make, so let's dive into some important factors when it comes to setting a guest list.
Budget
I know you don’t want to blow that wedding budget out of the water unless you have unlimited funds coming your way! With wedding costs tied to each one of your guests such as food, drinks, number of tables and chairs, linens, centerpieces, guest favors, transportation etc. setting an ideal guest count and sticking to it, is super important. If you know you have a finite amount of money to spend, this is a great place to start for your guest count. Food and drinks are one of the most expensive line items in your budget and are almost always priced per person.
Say you have a $20,000 budget for food and drink and your caterer quotes $250 per person, you should plan to invite ~80 guests.
Maybe your catering budget is $30,000 and the caterer charges $200 per person, you can invite up to 150 guests.
Hosting a casual gathering with a caterer quoting $75 per person and a food budget of $10,000, you can host ~130 guests.
What about an intimate gathering with a focus on food - $12,000 food budget, $400 per person, that’s 30 guests.
Venue Capacity
Every venue has a guest cap, here at The Maples Estate, (an upstate New York wedding venue with lodging) this is 200 guests. Every venue will list this number, and while we have some wiggle room here at The Maples Estate due to the flexibility of our outdoor spaces, most venues are capped by the constraints of their event space, staffing, restroom capacities, fire and codes and it’s legally not possible to invite more guests than is listed in the contract. Therefore, this is a great place to set your guest count. When mom and dad are asking to add on your great aunt, their neighbor down the street or your old friend just got a new girlfriend, you might use the venue capacity as an excuse to say no.
Vision and Priorities
Your wedding vision and personal priorities have a huge impact on how many guests you wish to invite. Are you the life of the party who loves to mix and mingle? Maybe you have a huge family that you are super close to or a large friend group that has only grown over the years. Do you want everyone and their brother to be part of your special day? Maybe you are shy in crowds and prefer to celebrate with a smaller group or want a friends only wedding weekend and will celebrate separately with family at a different moment? Maybe you want to stretch your budget across a smaller group so you can throw an over the top weekend wedding experience with incredible food and activities for that special group.
Family Invites, Plus Ones, Kids and Co-workers
We know it’s hard to say no, but sometimes your guest list is a bit too long. It definitely adds up quickly when your parents are adding guests to the list, every guest is allowed a plus one, everyone’s kids are attending the wedding and co-workers are asking for invites. These are some hard and fast rules that can be set as needed. Maybe give your parents each a set number of invites, limit the number of plus ones to specific guests, only invite the flower child and ring bearer or have a no co-workers policy. This will help to reign in the list when it’s feeling overwhelming.
So, now that you have an idea of those important factors to think through, let’s get started. I always suggest making a few different tiers within your guest list. This will give you a good idea of where to cut first in the case you have to.
Quick Tip: Use excel or google sheets so you have a digital list you can update along the way and use later for RSVPs.
List ‘A’ is going to include those people you HAVE to have at your wedding - your direct family members and closest friends.
List ‘B’ is for extended family and additional friends that you would like to celebrate with but it’s not the end of the world if you do not.
List ‘C’ are those additional individuals such as college roommates that you haven’t spoken to in a while, people that invited you to their wedding so you feel you should invite them to yours, co-workers, etc.
Learn more about our Upstate New York Wedding Venue and find wedding planning tips below!
Outdoor Wedding. Rain Plans
PHOTOS BY BECCA GLEASON PHOTO
Outdoor Wedding. Rain Plans
An outdoor wedding at The Maples Estate is absolutely stunning, rain or shine!
With coordination services included in your wedding package, we will talk through your rain plans ahead of time for your outdoor wedding, to ensure we have a ‘Plan B’ confirmed before you even arrive. As a NY Wedding Planner, I will also remind you to turn off your weather app the week leading up to your wedding, since it will only just stress you out, and the weather is one of those things we have absolutely no control of on your wedding day. It is guaranteed to change 1,000 times in those 7 days leading up to your wedding weekend.
Instead, we will talk through an alternative ceremony and cocktail hour location in the case it’s needed, and get an idea of how important your ‘Plan A’ is to determine the best time to make the call on your ‘Plan B’. When it came to Rachel and Nick’s Rainy Day Lord of the Rings inspired wedding in fall 2022, they knew they didn’t care about a little drizzle on their wedding day and preferred to stick to their ‘Plan A’ even though rain was guaranteed at some point in the day. I kept a very close eye on the radar and shifted their ceremony back by 30 minutes to catch a break in the rain and hold their ceremony in the tree grove where they had originally dreamed it would be. We then shifted their cocktail hour under their tent to ensure guests were comfortable and dry. With a brand new event pavilion for our 2023 wedding season, couples no longer need to rent a tent and will be covered from the elements with over 4,000 square feet of sheltered event space!
With rain on Nick’s parents wedding day, this couple was prepared to make that call and I’m so glad they did because their photos are absolutely stunning and the drizzly day brought just the right amount of magic!
If you are a bit more concerned about the chance of rain for your outdoor wedding, we will confirm the location that is best for your ceremony and cocktail hour based on the number of guests you have attending, and also your personal vision and preferences.
There are a few alternative spaces that could work well for you.
With a 4,000 square foot reception pavilion, we could shift your reception layout to allow for a ceremony and/or cocktail hour to be held under the pavilion and out of the rain while still retaining the incredible views of the field and hills.
For smaller groups, our grand veranda could host your ceremony or cocktail hour for approx. 50 guests.
You could put a hold on a tent through a local rental company to have a backup covered structure as needed for your ceremony and/or cocktail hour.
Photo by Cassandra Daye Photography
Tips to share with your guests to ensure they are prepared for any kind of weather.
Remind your guests to have an umbrella or raincoat on hand just in case it’s needed.
The temperature can drop a bit when the sun goes down so remind your guests to have a top layer available to cover up on those chilly nights around the firepit.
Grass is not the best for stilettos, instead guests should plan to wear chunky heels, platforms or flats on your wedding day. It’s also nice to have a comfortable pair of shoes to change into for late night dancing!
In Summary - Never be afraid of a little weather
It might just add that touch of magic to your wedding day!
Wanting more planning inspiration? View these blog posts below and learn more about our Upstate New York Wedding Venue!
Micro Wedding Upstate NY. Rinata & Aaron. 9.24.22
The Marriage of Rinata & Aaron
September 24, 2022 at The Maples Estate
Schoharie, NY - Upstate, NY
The Maples Estate was the perfect intimate venue for Rinata & Aaron’s micro wedding in upstate NY!
Both doctors in Philadelphia, they wanted an intimate, relaxing getaway that was central to their family across the east coast, and allowed them all the comforts of home. With incredible views and a large kitchen - that’s all Rinata and Aaron needed to ensure their small guest list felt comfortable all weekend long. This couple knew exactly what they needed and booked sight unseen after just a quick phone call. Since they had not yet seen the venue in person, the second they stepped foot onsite and started to explore the estate, they where in awe of the surrounding beauty and settled right in to their wedding weekend in upstate New York.
Keeping things intimate, they hired just one vendor to support them on their wedding day - a photographer! We are so glad they did because their wedding celebration was so beautiful!! From Rinata’s dress, to the hand prepared details, tiny guest list and absolutely gorgeous fall day, their wedding was personalized in the best possible ways!
Getting Ready At The Farmhouse
Rinata and Aaron got ready in our 1855 colonial farmhouse and enjoyed a ‘first look’ just outside the get ready room! They took full advantage of the estate with photos across the property before their guests arrived and with such an intimate setting they were able to scratch tradition to celebrate with their guests in the farmhouse before the official celebrations even began.
Welcome Drinks!
Rinata’s parents were excited to prepare a traditional meal for their small guest list and spent much of the weekend prepping in the farmhouse kitchen. On the wedding day they greeted guests with a cocktail hour spread across the bar and grand veranda and welcomed them into the farmhouse as if it was their own home - offering delicious treats to every guest before the ceremony began!
Micro Ceremony At The Pond
Their ceremony took place overlooking the pond with our barn and willow in full view, and as guests gathered they collected a package of dried flowers as confetti to shower the newly married couple.
Portraits Around The Estate
As guests gathered back on the veranda, Rinata and Aaron found some time to wander for more photos across the estate as they enjoyed some personal time together before the reception began.
Dinner & Drinks For Their Micro Guest List
While most receptions at The Maples Estate take place outdoors in our field or on the veranda, Rinata loved the interior setting of the parlors and felt an inside reception was perfect for their needs. The setting reminded her of gatherings and intimate family style restaurants from her childhood. Her parents were in and out of the kitchen hosting the entire evening and thoroughly enjoyed entertaining their guests.
Evening Activities
As the day moved on, the group gathered back in the bar for traditional desserts and a cake cutting and then made their way to the fire pit for an evening fire under the stars.
Photos by Bailey Q Photo
Rinata and Aaron’s incredible vendor team!
Venue / Coordination: The Maples Estate | IG: @themaplesestate
Photography: Bailey Q Photo | IG: @baileyqphoto
View more real wedding inspiration and learn more about our Upstate New York Wedding Venue!
Unique NY Wedding Venue. Ashley & Brian. 6.11.22
The Marriage of Ashley & Brian
June 11, 2022 at The Maples Estate
Schoharie, NY - Upstate, NY
As creatives working in LA, this imaginative couple dreamed up a color filled wedding full of personality at our unique NY wedding venue!
Ashley and Brian met while living in Beacon, NY, yet joined us from Los Angeles where Brian works in the film industry and Ashley is a Production Manager for an installation artist. With a background in production, they wanted their hands on every aspect of their wedding from vendor selection to the hand-poured crayons placed on each table. A self proclaimed “DIY girl through and through” and “the person who plans for all the fires that might arise and makes sure to put them out,” Ashley wondered how she could have her hands on every detail without being overwhelmed on her wedding day. She wanted to hand her perfectly planned wedding off to someone else to manage so she could enjoy every moment of the celebration. The Maples Estate allowed them to implement exactly what they had envisioned with retro vibes, colorful attire and so many disco balls while also hosting their friends all weekend long and coordinating their big day for them.
How They Met!
This creative couple met when Ashley was attending college in Beacon, NY. Brian had grown up there and at the time, owned a coffee shop where he would play guitar in the front window. Ashley saw him in the window one day and they got to talking while he took her coffee order. 8 years later they were engaged, but with the pandemic they were stalled in their wedding plans. When they were able to pick up their planning again, they knew upstate New York was the perfect place and were dreaming of The Maples Estate for their unique NY wedding. With a minimal budget they got to planning and dreamed up this fun, retro wedding!
A Full Weekend of Activities
Their unique NY wedding began on Thursday with friends traveling all across the northeast and beyond to join them. They jammed out in the back parlor with their favorite tunes, hopped in the pool, splashed in the creek and got to work setting up their dream wedding reception. Ashley had a vision in mind and wanted full control over every details. It was so fun to watch her vision come to life and we were happy to take over on Saturday to ease her mind and finalize all her perfectly planned details! Keep scrolling to see images of their Friday rehearsal dinner before the celebration began!
The Cake Preparation
While the bridal parties were getting ready, Ashley’s aunt took control in the kitchen as she constructed their unique wedding cake! A gift that her aunt offers to all her family members. Such a special gift!
First Look With Ashley’s Dads
They embraced an artistic retro vibe with disco balls and 70s inspired calligraphy, bedazzled shoes and feather headpiece. Finding ways to incorporate her family, Ashley’s dad and stepdad joined her for a first look overlooking the pond after getting glammed up in the get ready room.
Ceremony Details
They loved the idea of assorted chairs for their ceremony so we mixed and matched our three different styles for a creative vibe overlooking the hillside in the tree grove. They wanted each of their guests to be engaged in the moments so they collected phones from everyone as they arrived and handed out dried flowers for tossing following the ceremony. When they picked up their phones they also received a disco ball seating card with their table number!
The Guest’s Attire
They asked all their guests to wear colorful attire for their unique ny wedding and they took that and ran! Each guest was decked out with their most colorful outfit and we loved how the colors came together!
The Ceremony
Choosing to stay hidden before their ceremony, Ashley and Brian saw each other for the first time while walking down the aisle and it was so special to have both Ashley’s dads join her to hand her off to Brian.
The Cocktail Hour
Following their ceremony, guests gathered in the field for a colorful charcuterie display while the couple and their bridal parties took photos around the estate.
Reception Details
The reception was full of unique details from the table numbers to the vintage assorted plates, moss, drift wood, disco balls, hand poured crayons and colorful florals. They even covered the tables with butcher paper so their guests could leave them fun notes and draw throughout the evening. Their tables numbers were images of found numbers in the wild and even incorporated some of their friends bodies formed in the shape of numbers!
Entrance & First Dance!
They entered their wedding reception from the pond walk and danced all evening long to their favorite tunes.
Dinner & Love Notes!
Their friends left them little notes and enjoyed a bbq dinner with full hog and yummy sides from local restaurant High on the Hog BBQ.
Cutting The Cake!
Their cake cutting was so special with their cake assembled by Ashley’s aunt and a handmade cake topper with two love birds!
Time for Dancing!
They day would not have been complete without an outfit change for dancing the night away!
An SNL Inspired Last Song
This group was all about the party and even celebrated the close of their wedding reception with a SNL style credits role thanking each of their friends for attending as they all joined each other on the dance floor for a final photo!
Photos by Dottie Morris
Ashley & Brian’s incredible vendor team!
Venue / Coordination: The Maples Estate | IG: @themaplesestate
Photography + Videography: Dottie Morris | IG: @xodottiemorris @zackarp
Catering: High on the Hog BBQ | IG: @high_on_the_hog_bbq
Bar Service: Franklin Alley Social Club | IG: @franklinalleysocialclub
Charcuterie: LC Designs NYC | IG: @lc_designsnyc
Makeup: Emily Elle Makeup | IG: @emilyellemakeup
Hair: Maddie Frag Hair | IG: @maddiefrag_hair
Tent Rental: Saratoga Tent & Events
Portable Restrooms: Stone Industries
Bonus! - The Rehearsal Dinner
Find out more about The Maples Estate, our Upstate New York Wedding Venue and enjoy more real wedding inspiration!
Rainy Day Weddings. Rachel & Nick. 9.4.22
The Marriage of Rachel & Nick
September 4, 2022 at The Maples Estate
Schoharie, NY - Upstate, NY
A perfectly rainy magical wedding at The Maples Estate!
Rachel and Nick’s magical wedding at The Maples Estate was blessed with a rainy day that was just what the couple called for. Nick’s parents celebrated their wedding with rain, and it was so fitting for this Lord of the Rings loving couple to have drizzly moody photos to match their ethereal, woodsy attire. From unique, enchanted, witchy bridal party photos, Lord of the Rings entrance music at the ceremony performed by cellist Sasha Ono, and a dagger used to cut the cake, this couple found little ways to personalize their big day and showcase their love of magical worlds.
Wedding Inspiration
With a career in editorial and fashion photography showcasing worlds she can only dream about, Rachel incorporated unique elements of etherial magic throughout the day. From lawn games at the cocktail hour to a mossy guest book area and flower crowns repurposed from the ceremony arch, they thought through every little detail. The couple also celebrated with their dog Gilly who enjoyed every moment of the weekend and was incorporated into all aspects of their wedding, never leaving Rachel’s side. Their guests were in awe of the world they created here at The Maples Estate for their unique Hudson Valley wedding.
Witchy Bridal Party Photos
As an editorial and fashion photographer, Rachel wanted to take full advantage of the setting while incorporating her bridal party! They gathered in white attire on the front steps of our 1855 colonial farmhouse for a full on photo shoot and we LOVED everything about it!
“Wedding planning should be fun! And it’s a chance to be fully present in every experience surrounding your wedding with your partner. Whether it’s the tiniest detail or the whole idea behind your wedding, planning together and making everything distinctively you is a way of celebrating your relationship, who you are, and taking this new step together. We also didn’t let others’ ideas about weddings or what they should be like get in the way of how we wanted to do it. When it comes to a huge institution like marriage, there’s going to be a lot of pressure from all kinds of sources; whether it’s societal pressure, pressure from family members, or other people getting married around you. We knew what was most important to us going into planning; which was to spend a whole weekend celebrating with our friends and family in a way that made us comfortable and excited to get married. And that’s just what we did!”
First Touch
Their first touch was something to dream about! Rachel and Nick wanted to hold off on seeing each other during their wedding day until they walked down the aisle but they knew their hearts would be racing with nerves as they waited for the moment. To ease their minds they decided on a first “touch” in front of our vintage wallpaper in our 1855 colonial farmhouse!
Getting Ready & The Ceremony
Both parties enjoyed themselves fully with the bridal party in the get ready room and bunk room upstairs, and the grooms party in the double parlors downstairs. Rachel and Nick knew they wanted their ceremony to remain outdoors despite the weather forecast, so we took advantage of a 30 minute gap in the rain and pushed the ceremony back a few minutes. Their guests gathered on the veranda to avoid the rain as they waited for the ceremony to begin and when the moment was just right they made their way down to the tree grove with umbrellas overhead.
“Our friends walked down the aisle to a cello version of Concerning Hobbits from Lord of The Rings, and our dog son, Gilly, was the ring bearer. I walked down the hill at Maples Estate with my huge train billowing behind me in the soft rain. Both my mom and dad walked me down the aisle, through a sea of all our loved ones to the ‘altar’ while our cellist played, and it was the most pure and intense moment for both Nick and I. All the planning was behind us and we were literally standing in front of each other, looking at all the work we had done and the people around us who got us to this moment. And then we read our own written vows to each other and our tears mixed with the light rain while we spoke and it was just an unforgettable moment”
“I am a fashion photographer in Brooklyn and have an affinity for renaissance aesthetic in my work as well as home decor. I dream of florals and long tables with vintage chairs and baroque candlesticks slowly burning through the night. Nick, my husband, I can lovingly say, is a sci-fi nerd with an affinity for grandiose adventurecore and loves the great outdoors. We connect in our mutual admiration of moss we find during hikes or pining for the beautiful rolling hills in Lord of the Rings. Neither of us subscribe to any typical religious traditions in our every day lives, so we decided to create a celebration that was completely us and really driven by the desire to be surrounded by our loved ones throughout the whole weekend in a fun, low key, yet visually stunning setting.”
Photos Galore!
Rachel and Nick took a long stroll around the estate for their photos while their guests enjoyed a cocktail hour under the reception tent covered from the light drizzle of rain.
Reception Details
Their reception kicked off with personalized elements scattered around the reception tent and magical wedding decor with colorful florals, moss, vintage candle sticks and a flower crown station repurposed from the ceremony arch. This rainy day wedding was such a perfect setting for these two and their etherial woodsy vision!
“We had such a gorgeous ceremony backdrop that Nicole installed around the wooden arch that Nick's dad had built for us. We then repurposed those flowers after the ceremony for the guests to build their own flower crowns which is a tradition of ours every summer for Swedish Midsummer. I loved the idea of the guests being able to take part in the decor and take a little piece home with them.”
“We had two signature cocktails based on things that we love to drink, and instead of a cake cutting, had a pie cutting ceremony with a renaissance era dagger as our pie cutter.”
Photos by Becca Gleason Photo
Rachel & Nick’s incredible vendor team!
Venue / Coordination: The Maples Estate | IG: @themaplesestate
Photography: Becca Gleason Photo | IG: @beccagleasonphoto
Catering: Follow the Smoke | IG: @followthesmokepa
Dessert: Lucky Clover Artisanal Bakery | IG: @luckycloverartisanalbakery
DJ: Complete We Do | IG: @completewedo
Makeup: Bridal by Alexandria | IG: @bridalbyalexandria
Hair: Purity Hair Design | IG: @purityhairdesign
Vintage Rentals: Bee’s Knees Vintage | IG: @beeskneesvintage1
Florist: e p h e m e r a | IG: @e_p_h_e_m_e_r_a
Cellist: Sasha Ono | IG: @cellosasha
Tent: BBQ Delights | IG: @bbqdelights2021
Beer: Wayward Lane Brewing | IG: @waywardlanebrewing
Transportation: Brown Coach Inc. + L&S Journeys
Officiant: Rabbi Nomi Manon
Portable Restrooms: Stone Industries
Learn more about our Upstate New York Wedding Venue and discover more real wedding inspiration!
Brooke & Scott. Outdoor Wedding Dreams. 9.10.22
The Marriage of Brooke & Scott
September 10, 2022 at The Maples Estate
Schoharie, NY - Upstate, NY
A union under god in nature.
That was Brooke and Scott’s dream. Growing up in the church, they wanted to incorporate their faith into their marriage but preferred to celebrate in the open air under the sky, trees and stars, instead of holding an indoor church ceremony. With just three items on Brooke’s wishlist, an outdoor wedding, checkered dance floor and sail cloth tent, they knew immediately that this was the place for them when they could envision their wishlist at the estate. They woke up to the sunrise over the estate on the morning of their wedding after a couple days of fun with their bridal party staying in the farmhouse. For their ceremony, they invited their pastor to officiate their wedding and took communion together under the shade of the tree grove while one of Brooke’s bridesmaids sang an incredibly loving song for the group to bless the moment. Wanting their bridal parties to see their faces during the ceremony, they scratched tradition and had their parties switch sides. Bridesmaids on Scott’s side of the aisle and Grooms-people on Brooke’s side. They opted for mixed chairs and rugs for their aisle which suited their personalities and each of their guests continued to tell us throughout the day that they could not imagine their wedding any other way. This was truly an expression of the two’s union.
They enjoyed a cocktail hour on the veranda and celebrated into the evening under a beautiful sailcloth tent with of course, a checkered dance floor! Their attire was meticulously thought through with matching, but also mismatched bridal party colors and sneakers for the entire party including personalized kicks for Brooke and Scott. Scott was even presented with a brightly colored brand new pair of shoes on the dance floor by his grooms-people to dance the night away. Looking for a causal environment they opted for a pizza truck to sling pizzas for dinner, and supplemented with an additional handcrafted caterer for cocktail hour, sides and dessert. They even enjoyed a sparkling lemonade toast for speeches!
Photos by Natalia Fries
Brooke & Scott’s incredible vendor team!
Upstate New York Wedding Venue / Coordination: The Maples Estate | IG: @themaplesestate
Caterer: Crafted Catering and Events | IG: @craftedcateringandevents
Caterer: Bull & Basil | IG: @bullandbasil
Photographer: Kelsey & Nate Photo | IG: @Kelsey.schwenk
Hair & Makeup: Purity Hair Design | IG: @purityhairdesign
DJ: A Perfect Blend Entertainment | IG: @apbentertainment
Audio Guest Book: After The Tone | IG: @afternthetone.co
Makeup: Leslie Joy
Tent Rental: Columbia Tent
Portable Restrooms: Stone Industries
Florals: Mimi's Little Posy Place
Officiant: Pastor James Tebbano
More real wedding inspiration!
Cost of a Destination Wedding
How Much Does a Destination Wedding Cost?
A Guide to Planning Your Wedding Investment
Planning a wedding is exciting. It's also probably one of the largest celebrations you'll ever organize, and figuring out what everything costs can feel overwhelming, especially when you're considering a destination wedding or an extended wedding weekend.
One of the first questions couples ask me is, "How much should we expect to spend?"
And while I wish there were a simple answer, the reality is that the cost of a wedding depends on much more than your guest count or the venue you choose. It depends on the experience you're creating, how you want to spend time with your guests, the level of service you expect, and which elements matter most to you.
As a wedding planner and creative director, I spend a significant amount of time helping couples understand these decisions. Not just how much things cost, but why they cost what they do, where additional investment makes a meaningful difference, and where we can simplify without compromising the experience.
So, whether you're planning a destination wedding in Upstate New York, exploring wedding venues in the Hudson Valley, or simply trying to understand what a multi-day celebration might involve, let's talk about how to approach your wedding investment with clarity and intention.
What Does a Destination Wedding Actually Cost?
The first thing to understand is that there isn't one standard price for a destination wedding.
Two couples could invite 100 guests to the same venue and create entirely different celebrations with significantly different investments.
One might prioritize an incredible culinary experience, with multiple courses, specialty cocktails, and thoughtful hospitality throughout the weekend. Another might invest heavily in live entertainment, custom installations, lighting, and an elaborate reception design. A third might choose a more relaxed approach, with casual welcome gatherings, locally sourced food, minimal decor, and an emphasis on spending time together.
All three can be wonderful weddings.
What influences the overall investment?
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Your guest count affects more than catering. It influences rentals, staffing, transportation, invitations, bar service, accommodations, and the overall scale of production.
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A wedding in New York City, the Hudson Valley, or another destination market will have different costs associated with vendors, staffing, transportation, and accommodations.
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A single wedding day and a four-day wedding weekend are different experiences. Welcome dinners, activities, ceremonies, receptions, and farewell gatherings each introduce their own considerations.
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Florals, lighting, rentals, custom installations, entertainment, and environmental design can dramatically change both the experience and the investment.
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The amount of professional support required to plan, design, coordinate, and produce your celebration matters, particularly when multiple events, locations, and vendors are involved.
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Perhaps most importantly, your investment depends on what you actually want.
There is no universal formula for how much you should spend on your wedding.
The goal is to understand what kind of experience you're creating and make informed decisions about what it will take to produce it.
How Is a Destination Wedding Weekend Different From a Single-Day Wedding?
One of the reasons couples are drawn to destination wedding weekends is the opportunity to spend more meaningful time with the people they've invited.
Think about a traditional wedding day. You spend months planning, your guests arrive, and before you know it, the ceremony is over, dinner has been served, and you're saying goodbye. For couples whose friends and families are traveling from different cities, states, or countries, that can feel like a very short amount of time together.
A wedding weekend changes the experience. Instead of fitting everything into a single day, you have room for welcome gatherings, shared meals, activities, downtime, and the conversations that happen when nobody is rushing to the next thing.
You might spend Thursday evening cooking dinner with your closest friends, Friday welcoming everyone with live music and food trucks, Saturday celebrating your marriage, and Sunday chatting over coffee and pastries before everyone heads home.
Does a wedding weekend cost more?
Generally, hosting additional events increases your overall investment. But that doesn't mean every event needs to look or cost the same. Your wedding reception might feature a full-service caterer, elaborate florals, and live entertainment, while your welcome dinner could be a casual barbecue, pizza party, or relaxed gathering with your favorite local food.
You can create variety throughout the weekend rather than producing multiple formal receptions. And because the experience extends beyond the wedding day, you're investing in more opportunities to spend time with your guests.
The question becomes less about how to recreate your wedding reception several times and more about how you want to spend these days together.
Where Does Your Wedding Investment Go?
One of the most common misconceptions I encounter is that the venue and catering represent nearly the entire cost of a wedding. In reality, there are many interconnected expenses involved in producing a celebration, especially one that extends over several days.
Here are the major categories I encourage couples to consider.
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Depending on the venue, these may be separate expenses or part of an integrated package.
It's important to understand exactly what your venue includes, how much access you have, what infrastructure is available, and whether professional planning and production support are included.
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Food and beverage are often among the largest expenses.
Your investment will depend on guest count, service style, menu selections, bar offerings, staffing, rentals, and the number of meals or gatherings you're hosting.
A casual welcome dinner and a fully staffed, multi-course reception will have very different requirements.
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Consider the number of hours or days of coverage, the size of the team, travel requirements, and the type of documentation that matters most to you.
For a wedding weekend, you may want to capture more than the ceremony and reception.
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This category can include floral installations, tabletop design, furniture, linens, lighting, drapery, signage, and custom-built elements.
Some celebrations need very little additional design. Others involve extensive creative development and production.
Neither approach is inherently better.
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Live bands, DJs, musicians, performers, interactive experiences, and activities can all become meaningful parts of your celebration.
For some couples, this is where they want to make their largest investment.
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Destination weddings may require shuttles, transportation between accommodations and event spaces, accessibility planning, and additional guest communication.
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Behind every well-executed event is a team.
Depending on the scope of your wedding, this may include catering staff, bartenders, rental teams, lighting technicians, production assistants, transportation coordinators, and other professionals.
These expenses are important to account for when comparing vendor proposals.
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Wedding attire, rings, hair and makeup, travel, and other personal purchases should also be considered when determining your overall financial comfort.
Some couples include these expenses in their wedding investment plan, while others track them separately.
The important thing is knowing what your number actually includes.
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A vendor proposal isn't always the final amount you'll pay.
Sales tax, service charges, delivery fees, labor, gratuities, overtime, and other expenses may apply depending on the service.
I also recommend maintaining a contingency within your overall investment plan for unexpected needs or changes.
Understanding these details early helps prevent difficult surprises later.
What Does a Destination Wedding at The Maples Estate Cost?
At The Maples Estate, we approach weddings a little differently. Rather than offering a venue rental and asking couples to assemble the rest of the experience themselves, we've created an integrated wedding weekend that brings together the private estate, accommodations, full-service planning, creative direction, and production.
The Signature Wedding Weekend | $53,000
Our Signature Wedding Weekend includes:
✔ Four days of exclusive access to our private 12.5-acre Upstate New York estate
✔ Three nights in our historic farmhouse for up to 17 of your closest people
✔ Full-service wedding planning and creative direction with me, Katie
✔ Planning, management, and execution of your wedding weekend
✔ Access to our ceremony, reception, and gathering spaces
✔ Event infrastructure, furnishings, and amenities that support your celebration
✔ The flexibility to create multiple gatherings throughout the weekend
From the moment you book, I'll work with you to establish your priorities and investment, curate your vendor team, develop the creative direction, and guide the planning process. When your weekend arrives, my team and I manage the details and production so you can be present with the people you've brought together.
What Is the Total Investment for a Wedding at The Maples?
The $53,000 Signature Wedding Weekend is the foundation of your celebration. Your additional investment will depend on your guest count, catering, bar service, photography, entertainment, florals, rentals, transportation, and other vendors.
Complete wedding weekends at The Maples typically begin around $100,000, with most couples investing approximately $150,000–$200,000+.
Some couples create intentionally streamlined celebrations, while others invest significantly more in culinary experiences, entertainment, design, and large-scale production.
There is no standard Maples wedding. Our role is to help you understand what your priorities will require and build an experience that reflects you.
How Do You Decide Where Your Wedding Investment Matters Most?
This is one of my favorite parts of the planning process. Before we start selecting vendors or designing tablescapes, I want to understand who you are.
How do you spend your weekends?
What meals do you love?
What makes a gathering feel like a great party to you?
What traditions matter to your families?
What do you want your guests to remember?
And perhaps most importantly, what do you want to remember?
Your answers help us determine where your investment will have the greatest impact.
Spend More Where It Matters to You
If music is central to your relationship, investing in an incredible live band might be one of the best decisions you make. If you're passionate about food, perhaps we create a memorable culinary experience that becomes a central part of the celebration. If design is important to you, we might explore custom installations, unexpected materials, or a visual environment that feels distinctly yours.
Or perhaps your priority is simply creating an atmosphere where everyone feels comfortable, welcomed, and able to spend time together. That might lead us toward thoughtful hospitality, relaxed gathering spaces, and a weekend that doesn't feel overly scheduled.
Know Where You Can Simplify
Not every decision needs to be elaborate. Sometimes the most meaningful moments are also the simplest.
A welcome dinner doesn't necessarily need custom linens and elaborate florals.
A beautiful ceremony doesn't always require a large installation.
And an incredible guest experience doesn't depend on filling every moment with entertainment.
I want couples to understand the difference between spending money because something is expected and investing in something because it genuinely contributes to their experience.
A larger investment doesn't automatically create a better wedding.
Thoughtful decisions do.
How Does Working With a Wedding Planner Change the Financial Process?
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Before building your vendor team, we'll talk about your overall investment and what matters most.
We'll establish a financial framework that reflects your priorities and gives us a practical foundation for making decisions.
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When you're reviewing a catering proposal, for example, the menu price is only part of the equation.
We also need to understand staffing, service charges, equipment, rentals, bar service, delivery, setup, breakdown, and any additional requirements.
A proposal that initially looks less expensive may not actually represent the lower overall investment.
My job is to help you understand those differences.
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Perhaps a particular design concept requires significant rental and installation expenses.
We can explore whether that investment meaningfully contributes to your priorities, whether there's another way to achieve a similar effect, or whether those resources would be better directed elsewhere.
Sometimes I'll encourage you to invest more in something because I believe it will make a real difference.
Other times, I'll tell you that I don't think the additional expense is necessary.
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Throughout planning, we'll revisit the bigger picture.
Are the decisions we're making still aligned with your priorities?
Are we accounting for the full scope of production?
Are we creating the experience you actually want?
Good planning isn't about finding more things to spend money on.
It's about knowing which things are worth spending it on.
What Should You Ask Before Choosing a Destination Wedding Venue?
When comparing destination wedding venues, I encourage couples to look beyond the initial package price. Two venues with similar starting rates may offer very different experiences and require very different additional investments.
Here are a few questions worth asking.
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Does your rental include one event day, an entire weekend, or multiple overnight stays?
When can you begin setting up, and when does everything need to be removed?
Additional access can significantly affect your planning and production needs.
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Can your closest people stay onsite?
What options exist for additional guests nearby?
Will transportation be necessary?
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Ask about tables, chairs, restrooms, lighting, power, kitchen facilities, event spaces, staffing, and other infrastructure.
A lower venue rental fee doesn't necessarily mean a lower overall wedding investment if substantial additional rentals are required.
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There's a meaningful difference between a venue coordinator, wedding-day coordinator, partial planner, and full-service wedding planner.
Make sure you understand who will help develop the experience, source and manage vendors, oversee the investment, create the design, and produce the celebration.
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Especially when planning an outdoor wedding, ask about the weather contingency.
Where will the ceremony take place?
Will the reception be affected?
Are additional rentals required?And will the alternative still feel like a celebration you're excited about?
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Some venues require exclusive caterers or preferred vendors.
Others allow you to build a team around your priorities, style, and desired level of service.
Neither model is necessarily wrong, but it's important to understand how those requirements affect your options and overall investment.
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Think about the celebration from your guests' perspective.
How will they arrive?
Where will they stay?
How will they move between events?
Will they have time to relax and enjoy the destination?The answers can influence everything from transportation and accommodations to your weekend itinerary.
Creating a Wedding Experience That's Worth the Investment
At the end of the day, I don't believe the success of a wedding can be measured by how much you spend.
I've seen incredibly meaningful celebrations built around simple ideas, and I've seen elaborate, highly produced weddings that were deeply personal to the people at the center of them. What matters is whether the experience reflects you.
Your wedding is an opportunity to bring together the people who have shaped your lives, share something meaningful with them, and celebrate the relationship that brought everyone there. You deserve to enjoy that experience, too. That's why I believe so strongly in thoughtful planning, creative direction, and creating enough structure that you can let go of the details when the weekend finally arrives.
The decisions are made. The team is in place. The experience has been carefully considered. Now you get to live it.
Planning a Destination Wedding in Upstate New York?
At The Maples Estate, we create private, fully planned wedding weekends that give you the time and space to celebrate in a way that feels entirely your own.
I'd love to learn about the two of you, what matters most, and what you're imagining.
A Little Help Getting Started
Download Our Wedding Investment Guide
Understanding your priorities is the first step. Understanding how those priorities translate into an overall wedding investment is the next. We've created a Wedding Investment Guide to help you see what different investment levels can realistically create, how guest count and priorities shape where that investment goes, and how two weddings with the same overall investment can look completely different.
Explore real-world examples, choose the scenario that feels closest to the celebration you're imagining, then use the interactive investment tool to start playing with the numbers yourself.
This isn't a formula for what your wedding should cost. It's a starting point for understanding what's possible and where you may want to invest more, simplify, or make different choices.
Every wedding is different. Your investment should reflect what matters most to you.
More helpful tips and real wedding inspiration for planning your destination wedding with us at The Maples Estate!
Whitney & Evan. Fun Loving Celebration. 6.18.22
The Marriage of Whitney & Evan
June 18, 2022 at The Maples Estate
Schoharie, NY - Upstate, NY
This celebration was all about the fun with smiles from ear to ear all weekend long!
Whitney and Evan came to us after canceling their 2020 wedding due to COVID. They had an unfortunate situation with their previous venue and needed a new venue they could trust to pull off their epic 4 day wedding. They fell in love with The Maples Estate in the wintertime and were ecstatic to see the colors pop in the spring when they came for a final walk through! They took full advantage of the weekend wedding celebrations with a rehearsal dinner, movie night, wedding day events and after party with a Friday through Monday rental. They enjoyed their more formal celebrations on Saturday and relaxed on Sunday with lawn games and pool time. They even had their dog Tofu with them to enjoy the full weekend events!
This group smiled all weekend and goofed around enjoying each others company to the fullest!
Photos by Natalia Fries
Whitney and Evan’s incredible vendor team!
Venue: @TheMaplesEstate
Catering: Healthy Cafe Catering | IG: @healthycafecateringco
Floral: Mira Mira Florals | IG: @miramiraflorals
Hair & Makeup: KMR Makeup | IG: @kmrmakeup
Makeup Stylist: Hair and Beauty By Bay | IG: @hairbeautybybay
Photography: Natalia Wajda | IG: @nataliafries
Rentals: Total Events | IG: @totalevents
Transportation: Durham School Services | IG: @durham_school_services
Bar: Yor Pub NY | IG: @yorpubny
Photo Booth: Snap Shots 1000 Islands | IG: @snapshots1000islands
Gown: Madi Lane Bridal | IG: @madilanebridal
Video: Noetic Productions | IG: @noeticproductions
Coordination: A Lively Event | IG: @alivelyevent
DJ: JTD Productions | IG: @jtdproductions
Bakery: The Cakerino | IG: @thecakerino
Menswear: The Black Tux | IG: @theblacktux
More real wedding inspiration!
Katherine & Nath. A Bulldog Love Story. 8.13.22
The Marriage of Katherine & Nath
August 13, 2022 at The Maples Estate
Schoharie, NY - Upstate, NY
What happens when animal loving artists get married? A colorful dog friendly wedding in upstate NY!
Originally from the east coast but now living in Los Angeles, California, artists / designers Katherine and Nath built their one of a kind wedding at The Maples Estate featuring their incredibly adorable bull dogs! Not only did they enjoy a full weekend getaway at the estate, they also traveled cross country in a van with their furry friends to ensure they could be part of their special day! Unfortunately a few of their other animals had to stay at home but they found ways to incorporate them into their nuptials with a post wedding photoshoot back in LA when they returned!
Katherine and Nath dreamt up such a special, colorful event and we are obsessed with every bit of their wedding! From the stitcher to the mobile bar, their food selection, wordrobe, neon signs and incredible color palette, each detail of their wedding melded together so perfectly to create a truly unique expression of these two!
Photos by Sarah Bridgeman Photography
Katherine & Nath’s incredible vendor team!
Venue / Coordination: The Maples Estate IG: @themaplesestate
Catering: Hattie’s Restaurant | IG: @hattiesrestaurant
Bar: Wandering Wheels | IG: @wanderingwheelsevents
Photography: Sarah Bridgeman Photography | IG: @sjbridgeman
Hair / Makeup: Lynn Monster Beauty | IG: @lynnmonster_beauty
Florist: Mira Mira Florals | IG: @miramiraflorals
Strings: LVER Talent | IG: @lvertalent
DJ: Brian Oddo Entertainment
Stitcher: Rowdy Cowlick | IG: @rowdycowlick
Tent: Columbia Tent Rentals | IG: @columbiatentrentals
Rehearsal Dinner Ice Cream: Tail & Toppings | IG: @tail.and.toppings
More real wedding inspiration!
MeadowLark Garden Party PopUp
PopUp! Saturday, July 23
Ticket includes a single reservation for the Meadowlark pop-up party.
This single reservation for one person includes cocktail hour appetizers, a 4-course dinner with wine pairings and dessert.
5pm Cash bar Cocktail hour on the lawn (weather permitting) | 6pm Dinner (on the porch)
OVERNIGHT ACCOMMODATIONS
Are you super excited to attend our garden party and want to extend your visit?
Book a private room in our 1855 colonial farmhouse or a single bed in the communal bunk room for the evening!!
Check in as early as - 4:00pm on Saturday, July 23 // Check Out - 11:00am on Sunday, July 24
Wondering what our rooms look like? See below images of each room as well as the communal spaces!
Accommodations for guests attending the garden party only.
PRIVATE QUEEN BEDROOMS
Bedroom 1
One Queen Bed
Windows facing the front of the house and located across from the get ready room.
Television
Bedroom 3
One Queen Bed
Private balcony and next to the largest bathroom.
Bedroom 5
One Queen Bed
Located in the back section of the house with jack and jill bathroom connecting to another bedroom. Best views upstairs.
PRIVATE FULL BEDROOMS
Bedroom 2
Attached Laundry with 2nd Twin
One Full Bed
Two Twin Beds
Connection to laundry room and across from the largest bathroom.
Television
Bedroom 4
One Full Bed
Located in the back section of the house with jack and jill bathroom connecting to back room.
COMMUNAL BEDROOM
Bunk Room
Four Full Beds
One Queen Bed
Living room setup with large television.
SHARED BATHROOMS
Largest Bathroom
Toilet
Shower
Three Sinks
Stocked with towels, extra toilet paper, hair dryer, makeup removal wipes, travel sized shampoo, conditioner, soap, tooth brushes, etc.
Jack & Jill Bathroom
Toilet
Shower
Sink
Stocked with towels, extra toilet paper and makeup removal wipes.
Downstairs Bathroom
Toilet
Shower
Sink
Stocked with towels and extra toilet paper.
COMMON SPACES
Double Parlor
Three Standard Size Sofas
One Sleeper Sofa
Piano + Guitar
Record Player
Ready to book your stay?
Not ready to reserve a room but interested in tenting? Bring your tent and stay overnight!
We want everyone to be able to come to our Garden Party and enjoy themselves to the fullest. So, if you’ve secured a reservation to The Maples Estate Garden Party and you don’t want to worry about driving home, then tenting on the property might be the best option! For this $40 tent fee you can do just that!
(Sorry folks, Tent rental is not included in this fee…it’s BYOT, Bring your own tent)
Farmhouse Layout
At Home. Upstate
Home is where love resides, memories are created, friends always belong, and laughter never ends. - Author Unknown
There are many definitions of the word home, but to us it is a space where loved ones gather, connect, grow deeper stronger bonds and build new beginnings. It is a safe haven and comforting place to grow in love and care for one another. The words ‘At Home. Upstate’ are written into our logo because these are the words that we operate by. We exist not just as a space to host weddings and events but as a space that you will truly feel ‘at home’. We welcome you into our home as if it was your own. A space where you may come as you are and celebrate surrounded by loved ones without the pressures of time. We have created spaces where you can truly experience your wedding and not just watch it play out around you.
We absolutely love to watch old friends connect for late night chats around the fire or families that are blending meet for the first time over a game of monopoly. We love watching pool parties turn into sing alongs and dads cry as they see their daughter for the first time in their wedding dress. Connection takes time. It is impossible to create lasting moments when you are running late, stressed out, uncomfortable and bombarded with questions about last minute details from vendors and guests. In traditional wedding settings, so many couples forget to enjoy their wedding. That is why we have built our small family business around wedding weekend experiences, to ensure that you have quality time with your loved ones all weekend long, and can enjoy those special little moments in a relaxed and beautiful setting. You will have exclusive use of the estate so it is all yours!
As an event planner who has built and managed events of all shapes and sizes, I have seen it all. That is why I LOVE to include coordination services in all of our packages. At The Maples Estate, you will walk into your wedding prepared and walk away as family. We have also designed the estate so there are multiple spaces to celebrate within. You may host all of your events onsite so you never have to loose time traveling from place to place. Your guests will also love exploring the estate and will never get bored with plenty of spaces to spread out and fun adventure nearby.
No two weddings at The Maples Estate are the same, because no two couples are the same. That is why we never lock you into any vendors and we help you in planning a wedding that is personalized to you. We value diversity and believe that love is love. So come as you are!
We will host up to 17 of your closest friends and family onsite all weekend long with 3 nights and 4 days standard across our packages, and you may invite a guest list up to 150 for larger events throughout the weekend. You and your loved ones are sure to feel ‘at home’ in our upstate getaway where you can relax into your wedding and enjoy quality experiences with your loved ones all weekend long!
More wedding planning inspiration!
Vintage Cowboy Wedding Inspiration
No two weddings are the same because no two couples are the same!
From furnishings and details to clothing, florals, invitations, menus, and more, there are so many ways to incorporate your personality directly into your wedding design without it feeling overwhelming or out of place. When I am designing a wedding, I want to know all the little details about my clients so that I can incorporate your personality, favorite colors, books, food, places to travel, explore and more directly into the design. Each little detail informs the look and feel of your wedding and helps me to understand what’s going to feel comfortable to you on your wedding day. We will create a design board based on these elements with a clear vision before we lock in your vendors for a cohesive design that speaks to you. There are no cookie cutter weddings here at The Maples Estate! We want your design to feel seamless so that you and your guests can relax into the evening in a space that feels like you!
This relaxed, romantic photo shoot was such a dream to plan! With a clear vision from the start, this cohesive design came together with vintage elements and vendors that melded perfectly together. With an 1890s cowboy theme, each element tied back to the original design concept, informing each and every decision. Curating vendors is incredibly important when it comes to quality event design, and sharing your design board from the start helps to determine which vendors will be the right fit for your wedding. Just like couples, each vendor has their own personality, interests and talents, so when choosing a team that is going to successfully bring your vision to life, it is all about finding those vendors who’s talents align with your vision. By choosing vendors that specialized in vintage and handmade items I was able to incorporate so many elements that would have been available in the late 1800s and aligned with the vision for this shoot. From furniture to letter press stationary, dried local florals, period specific menswear and accessories, handmade beeswax candles, coffee and pastries, each vendor was spot on in delivering to the theme because it was right in their wheelhouse.
Before you go searching all over Pinterest to find the latest wedding trends, ask me to plan and design your wedding! Together we will build a wedding that speaks directly to you as a couple and allows you to relax into your wedding weekend so all you have to do is enjoy it!
Don’t have the budget to afford a wedding planner? Don’t worry, we provide all our couples with valuable resources as soon as you book to ensure your wedding day feels just like you! We even share tips and tricks for planning your dream wedding on our blog and include coordination services in all of our packages!
**View pictures below for a sneak peak at our barn in action!
Our Incredible Vendor Team!
Photography & Super 8 Video: Cassandra Daye Photography
Floral Design: Mira Mira Florals
Venue, Planning, Coordination and Styling: The Maples Estate Wedding & Event Venue
Vintage Decor & Styling: Love and a Truck
Invitation Design: Ready Mix Design
Menswear: Hound & Herring
Candles: Alysia Mazella
Table Runner: Snassy Crafter
Coffee & Desserts: Jacob Alejandro
Couple: Jake & Alejandro
More wedding inspiration!